Two bills introduced yesterday in Congress would require pilots to avoid distractions when they’re flying planes.

Sounds like a good idea! And it sounds like Congress is surfing the headlines!

It’s what we call “wakerider” legislation, when Congress jumps in on the latest news, offering a “fix”—often too late.

Of course, it was just last week that some Northwest pilots overshot their destination by 150 miles because they were on their laptops, distracted.

Congress to the rescue!

S. 2732 would require the Federal Aviation Administration to prohibit the use of portable electronic devices in the cockpit of commercial aircraft during flight and to conduct a study of the safety impact of distracted pilots. S. 2745 would prohibit the use of personal wireless communications devices and laptop computers by the flight crew of commercial aircraft on the flight deck during flight.

We’re all opposed to airline pilots being distracted. And the incident in question has pretty much made clear that camping on your laptop while you’re flying a commercial airliner is a no-no.

Did anyone think it was OK before? And does anyone actually think that having a new law about it—after the fact—is going to make a difference in pilots’ behavior? When some pilots screw up again, will Congress pass a law barring pilots from screwing up?

The point here, of course, is that Congress is trying to assert its relevance to everything that happens in the country. Should these bills pass, every time a plane doesn’t crash, we’ll have our federal legislators to thank!

Last night, the Senate passed H.R. 3548, the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009. The House is expected to pass the Senate version quickly—perhaps today—and President Obama is likely to sign it.

The bill authorizes up to 14 additional weeks of benefits for unemployed workers nationwide, provided they have already exhausted their earlier authorized benefits or will do so by the end of the year, plus an additional 6 weeks of benefits in states with unemployment higher than 8.5%. A cost estimate for the bill puts it at about $24 per U.S. family.

An article in the Detroit Free Press points out a wrinkle in that extra 6-week benefit for hard-hit states:

However, under the legislation as written, it is unclear how many people in those high unemployment states could ever collect that additional 6 weeks of benefits. To get them, a person in one of the affected states would have to exhaust the newly authorized benefits of up to 14 weeks first, and do so by the end of the year. But there are only eight weeks left in 2009.

I suspect we might be hearing about that more here on WashingtonWatch.com.

But the point of this post is to share a very kind note I received yesterday from a visitor, regarding the 50,000+ comments we received on the bill:

I wanted to take a moment and thank you for the great job hosting the forum on the Unemployment Extension in the Senate.

I have a vested interest in the success of this bill and during the initial stages searched for relevant content relating to the progress and grass roots efforts of regular citizens. I could find no other source that provided up to the minute information from so many different sources. Kudos to you and your team!

I also noticed the presence of many negative posts from the “trolls” and was very surprised by your restraint in regards to their comments. I commend you for allowing different points of view through discussion even if some of the comments were truly mean spirited.

My point is that we must allow for the free disemination of information, both good and bad. I’m personally relieved after such a drawn out process but I truly believe without your constant support of this forum the pressure would have been unbearable in the absence of new information.

Kudos to washingtonwatch.com and their entire company. Keep up the good work, there are many more important decisions in the near future and with your help facts will overcome unknown fears.

It’s very gratifying to get a little “thank you” for the work of hosting the site and moderating the often very rough conversation on this bill. I was barraged with people asking me to ban other visitors for making what were often truly inappropriate comments, but I think a strong commitment to free exchange of information can produce the best results.

Our so-called “trolls” have things they want to say. They lack social skills, and they’re obviously very frustrated. It’s up to this site to give them a productive outlet for engagement. I’ve got some ideas for doing that, and we’ll give those a try—as well as more comment controls—in the coming months and years. Your wishes of “good luck” are welcome.

And good luck to all the folks who are battling unemployment out there. For all the negativity I have dealt with as manager of the site, the goodness of the people trying to learn information, work together, and better themselves shines through.

I hope nobody ever needs another extension of unemployment compensation—because I hope everyone gets jobs! But I also hope many of you will continue to stay engaged with Congress through this site.

It takes active citizenship to run a good government and society. I hope the folks who have gotten engaged with government through this process will continue to pay attention—to all the issues the federal government deals with.

We’ll be here to work with you.

H.R. 42, the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Latin Americans of Japanese Descent Act, has been scored by the Congressional Budget Office. It’s cost is pretty close to zero. (One penny for a family of seven.)

As the name suggests, the bill would set up a commission to study the treatment of Latino and Japanese people during World War II.

When I went to put the cost information in the database, I noticed an unusually high vote against the bill, but no comments indicating why.

I’m eager to learn! Voting against? Why? Or maybe there should just be more votes in favor.

All that is up to you. Here is the current vote on H.R. 42. (At the time of this writing, it was 8% for, 92% against.) Click to vote, comment, learn more, or edit the wiki article about the bill.

This is the WashingtonWatch.com email newsletter for the week of November 2, 2009. Subscribe here.

email newsletter | tell a friend | wiki | about | home | log in From the Blog: The Bill for the Health Care Bill Health care reform legislation will be debated in the House this week. The bill up for consideration was introduced and received a cost estimate last week. Read about it in a blog post entitled: “The Bill for the Health Care Bill: $7,800“ Featured Items This week, the Senate is scheduled to resume debate on H.R. 3548, the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009. The bill would grant 14 weeks of additional unemployment benefits in all states and 20 weeks in states where the unemployment rate is above 8.5%. Passage of H.R. 3548 would cost the average U.S. family a little over $24. There have been over 46,000 comments on the bill on its WashingtonWatch.com page. The House will debate H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The bill would make substantial changes to the way health insurance and health care are paid for and provided in the United States. Passage of H.R. 3962 would cost the average U.S. family over $7,800. H.R. 3548 The Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 Costs $24.40 per family H.R. 3962 The Affordable Health Care for America Act Costs $7,871.23 per family What People Think The Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 81% For, 19% Against Vote on this Bill The Affordable Health Care for America Act 22% For, 78% Against Vote on this Bill Displayed below are new, updated, and passed items with their cost or savings per family. New Items H.R. 1168 The Veterans Retraining Act of 2009 Costs $3.11 per family H.R. 3962 The Affordable Health Care for America Act Costs $7,871.23 per family H.R. 1147 The Local Community Radio Act of 2009 Costs $0.00 per family H.R. 3276 The American Medical Isotopes Production Act of 2009 Costs $1.18 per family H.R. 3633 To allow the funding for the interoperable emergency communications grant program established under the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 to remain available until expended through fiscal year 2012, and for other purposes Saves $0.26 per family S. 1776 The Medicare Physician Fairness Act of 2009 Costs $1,892.01 per family H.R. 3258 The Drinking Water System Security Act of 2009 Costs $9.30 per family H.R. 3639 The Expedited CARD Reform for Consumers Act of 2009 Costs $1.41 per family S. 1692 The USA PATRIOT Act Sunset Extension Act of 2009 Costs $0.10 per family S. 1782 The Federal Judiciary Administrative Improvements Act of 2009 Costs $0.03 per family Updated Items H.R. 2868 The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009 Costs $10.63 per family P.L. 111-84 The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 Costs $14.18 per family Passed Items P.L. 111-82 A bill to authorize major medical facility leases for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2010, and for other purposes P.L. 111-83 The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010 Costs $442.12 per family P.L. 111-84 The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 Costs $14.18 per family P.L. 111-85 The Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 Costs $316.14 per family P.L. 111-86 The Girl Scouts USA Centennial Commemorative Coin Act P.L. 111-87 The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009 email newsletter | tell a friend | wiki | about | home | privacy | contact | log in WashingtonWatch.com P.O. Box 77576 Washington, D.C. 20013

Here are some more of the bills that the House will debate this week:

S. 475 – A bill to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to guarantee the equity of spouses of military personnel with regard to matters of residency

H.R. 1168 – Veterans Retraining Act of 2009

H.R. 3949 – Veterans’ Small Business Assistance and Servicemembers Protection Act of 2009

S. 509 – A bill to authorize a major medical facility project at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Walla Walla, Washington

H.R. 174 – To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery for veterans in the southern Colorado region

H.R. 2136 – Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act

H.R. 3276 – American Medical Isotopes Production Act of 2009

H.Res. 839 – Condemning the illegal extraction of Madagascar’s natural resources

H.R. 3639 – Expedited CARD Reform for Consumers Act of 2009

Health care reform legislation will be debated in the House this coming week, and the issue is all teed up.

H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, was introduced last week—all 1,990 pages of it.

You can see it by clicking “Read the bill” in the “Learn more” box on the bill’s page.

The Los Angeles Times has a good story answering questions about what the bill is meant to do.

The bill also has a score from the Congressional Budget Office. What it boils down to is this: a cost of over $7,800 per U.S. family. (Read about our methodology here.)

Here’s some summary language from CBO:

The estimate includes a projected net cost of $894 billion over 10 years for the proposed expansions in insurance coverage. That net cost itself reflects a gross total of $1,055 billion in subsidies provided through the exchanges (and related spending), increased net outlays for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and tax credits for small employers; those costs are partly offset by $167 billion in collections of penalties paid by individuals and employers. On balance, other effects on revenues and outlays associated with the coverage provisions add $6 billion to their total cost.

Over the 2010–2019 period, the net cost of the coverage expansions would be more than offset by the combination of other spending changes, which CBO estimates would save $426 billion, and receipts resulting from the income tax surcharge on high-income individuals and other provisions, which JCT and CBO estimate would increase federal revenues by $572 billion over that period.

Read the whole estimate (only 27 pages) by clicking “Read an analysis of the bill” in the “Learn more” box on the bill’s page.

For or against? That’s the important question.

Here’s the current vote on the bill. Click to vote, comment, learn more or edit the wiki article on the bill.

It was a notable the other day when Attorney General Eric Holder announced that he would not devote federal resources to pursuing marijuana dispensaries in the many states that have legalized medical marijuana.

On the heels of that announcement, several members of Congress introduced H.R. 3939, the Truth in Trials Act. The bill would provide an affirmative defense against federal prosecution for the medical use of marijuana in accordance with state law.

There have been federal drug prosecutions in which defendants have been unable to introduce evidence that they were complying with state laws permitting medical use of marijuana.

Related bills include H.R. 2835, the Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act and H.R. 2943, the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2009.

In the last Congress, H.R. 5843, the Act to Remove Federal Penalties for the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults was one of the most visited bills here on WashingtonWatch.com, and it set a record for most visits on a single day that still stands.

So are medical marijuana and marijuana decriminalization on a roll? That’s for you to decide.

Here’s the current vote on H.R. 3939, the Truth in Trials Act. Click to vote, comment, learn more, or edit the wiki article about the bill.

I was excited when I saw that S. 1808 had been introduced. The description given to it by its author was that it would “control Federal spending now,” and its short title is the “Control Spending Now Act.”

To think, spending would come under control—NOW!

But I waited to see the text of the bill, because anything that controlled federal spending now would be a big change. Spending is soaring, and Congress seems to be too busy working on health care legislation to manage how it’s going to spend money in fiscal year 2010, which started about a month ago.

So, does S. 1808 control federal spending NOW? . . .

Would you settle for soon?

The bill attacks earmarks, tries to recreate a line-item veto, restores “pay-as-you-go” requirements (meaning new spending has to be funded somehow), changes the budget process, and goes after corporate welfare, subsidies, and stuff.

Sounds good! Passage of this bill would control federal spending soon! Hopefully!

Here’s the current vote on S. 1808, the Control Spending Now Act. Click to vote, comment, learn more, or edit the wiki article about the bill.

Here are some more of the bills the House of Representatives will debate this week:

H.R. 2489 – AmericaView Geospatial Imagery Mapping Program Act

H.R. 1471 – To expand the boundary of the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site in the State of Georgia, to redesignate the unit as a National Historical Park, and for other purposes.

H.R. 2806 – To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to adjust the boundary of the Stephen Mather Wilderness and the North Cascades National Park in order to allow the rebuilding of a road outside of the floodplain while ensuring that there is no net loss of acreage to the Park or the Wilderness

H.R. 1641 – Cascadia Marine Trail Study Act

H.R. 3632 – Federal Judiciary Administrative Improvements Act of 2009

S.Con.Res. 45 – A concurrent resolution encouraging the Government of Iran to allow Joshua Fattal, Shane Bauer, and Sarah Shourd to reunite with their families in the United States as soon as possible

This is the WashingtonWatch.com email newsletter for the week of October 26, 2009. Subscribe here.

email newsletter | tell a friend | wiki | about | home | log in From the Blog: FY 2010 Spending Update The federal government is operating under a temporary spending measure, but it expires at the end of the week. Congress has passed only four of the twelve bills that set funding levels for the fiscal year, which started October 1st. Read about it in a blog post titled: “FY 2010 Spending Update.” Featured Items Annual spending bills dominate the business of Congress this week. But to start, the House is scheduled to debate H.R. 3854, the Small Business Financing and Investment Act of 2009. The bill is intended to improve programs providing access to capital for small businesses. No cost estimate for H.R. 3854 is available yet. The House is also scheduled to debate H.R. 2996, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010. The bill spends money on operation of the Department of Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and related agencies and programs. Passage of H.R. 2996 would cost about $320 per U.S. family. The Senate will also debate spending legislation. It is scheduled to consider H.R. 2847, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010. The bill spends money on the operations of the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, and on agencies and programs dealing with science. Passage of H.R. 2847 would cost the average U.S. family about $650. The current spending picture for fiscal year 2010, which began October 1st, is reviewed in our recent “FY 2010 Spending Update” blog post. H.R. 3854 The Small Business Financing and Investment Act of 2009 H.R. 2996 The Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 Costs $323.06 per family H.R. 2847 The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 Costs $665.01 per family What People Think The Small Business Financing and Investment Act of 2009 56% For, 44% Against Vote on this Bill The Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 28% For, 72% Against Vote on this Bill The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 16% For, 84% Against Vote on this Bill Displayed below are new, updated, and passed items with their cost or savings per family. New Items H.R. 3596 The Health Insurance Industry Antitrust Enforcement Act of 2009 Costs $0.00 per family H.R. 1478 The Carmelo Rodriguez Military Medical Accountability Act of 2009 Costs $22.09 per family H.R. 1110 The PHONE Act of 2009 Costs $0.00 per family H.R. 1319 The Informed P2P User Act Costs $0.05 per family H.R. 3618 The Clean Hull Act of 2009 Costs $0.04 per family H.R. 3598 The Energy and Water Research Integration Act Costs $1.96 per family H.R. 3254 The Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act Costs $0.23 per family H.R. 3342 The Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act Costs $0.53 per family H.R. 2495 The Federal Real Property Disposal Enhancement Act of 2009 Saves $0.02 per family S. 1261 The PASS ID Act Costs $1.15 per family H.R. 3650 The Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2009 Costs $1.67 per family Updated Items none Passed Items P.L. 111-74 To designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at McKinley Avenue and Third Street, SW., Canton, Ohio, as the “Ralph Regula Federal Building and United States Courthouse” P.L. 111-75 To designate the United States courthouse located at 525 Magoffin Avenue in El Paso, Texas, as the “Albert Armendariz, Sr., United States Courthouse” P.L. 111-76 To provide for the transfer of certain Federal Property to the Galveston Historical Foundation Costs $0.00 per family P.L. 111-77 To designate the Federal building located at 844 North Rush Street in Chicago, Illinois, as the “William O. Lipinski Federal Building” P.L. 111-78 To designate the United States courthouse located at 301 Simonton Street in Key West, Florida, as the “Sidney M. Aronovitz United States Courthouse” P.L. 111-79 The Foreign Evidence Request Efficiency Act of 2009 P.L. 111-80 The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 Costs $1,178.80 per family P.L. 111-81 The Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009 Costs $1,670.13 per family email newsletter | tell a friend | wiki | about | home | privacy | contact | log in WashingtonWatch.com P.O. Box 77576 Washington, D.C. 20013